I Samuel 17:36
“Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.”
David's sense of justice was triggered and he was acting upon it. He shares two different examples where this happened. Both times ended well for him. He's confident this will be no different. I love how David isn't afraid to take on the task at hand.
This reminds me of a verse in I John, "I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one", (2:14b). A desire to jump into the battle is the trait of youth. They have a strong sense of justice and when it's triggered, they're in.
The maturity of life tempers that justice and more understanding enters. Many of the Israeli men must have thought that about David. Particularly his brother who was trying to stop him. Fortunately for them, David couldn't be swayed from his resolve.
What do we do with the battles that come our way? We all encounter problems that need resolution. They bring stress. It would be easy to ignore them. However, when we do that our self respect diminishes. The Holy Spirit wants to help us.
We usually don't jump into the fray, as David did. Some situations have that type of emergency. Most don't. We work out our ideas. As we pray, the Lord will prepare the hearts of those involved. It usually doesn't turn out to be as we would have feared.
I want to caution some that love the fray. It's almost as if they seek it. At the hint of an issue, they toss down a challenge. This is the other extreme of those who never engage a problem. They ignore Proverbs 15:1, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." There is too much conflict with this person.
Paul gives instruction on how we are to be in Romans 12:18, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people." We are to do our best to avoid conflict. It may mean that we avoid some. Proverbs 22:24 says, "Do not make friends with a person given to anger, Or go with a hot-tempered person".
Paul says, "If possible". Usually it is. The gentle answer fixes it most of the time. Other times we are to avoid the angry. Then there are the times that can't be smoothed out. Then we go about it in a prayerful, peaceful way. Usually it works out without incident.
Peter addresses the suffering we will experience in Christ. In the middle of that address, he says this, "Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler" (I Peter 4:15). We have some problems in life that are due to our own bad behavior. He says that shouldn't be so with us. Proverbs gives all sorts of advice of things we are to avoid. As we grow in Christ, those things should diminish if not hopefully become extinct in us.
Lord, thank You for the example of David. Give us the courage to engage the problems and learn to deal with them in a way that honors You.